Rail anchor



June 3, 1941. s. c. BAUGHN RAIL ANCHOR Filed Nov; 4, 1939 INVENTOR 4 SAMUE'L C. BAUGHN ATTQRNEY Patented June 3, 1941 VICE ANCHOR .Samuel ,C.1Baughn, East St. Louis, Ill.

Application November 4, 1939, .Serial No. 302,827

(Cl. 238-3'l7) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in railway rail anchors.

Due to the tendency of railway-rails to shift longitudinally under various forces, such as impact, expansion, and contraction, and even the natural tendency of the rails to slide downwardly on a grade, it is necessary for safe railroading that the rails be securely anchored. At the same time, the rails must be permitted some freedom of movement for absorption of such externally applied forces. The problem, therefore, is one of safely securing the rails within certain limits.

Present day rail anchors, however, so far as I'am aware, bite into the rail-flanges and otherwise seriously defalce the metal and frequently prevent any return of the rail to initial position. Further, after a rail has been so gripped by an anchor and has returned to normal position, the metal of the rail will have been so scarred that the rail may subsequently creep freely until the anchor bites into new metal. During the course of time, such biting destroys entirely the eiTectiveness of the anchor .and, in many cases, ultimately creates an unsafe track condition, Finally, when it becomes necessary to tear up a section of track for repair or replacement, it is often found that, even though many of the an.- chors insecurely grip the rails, others will be so deeply embedded in the rail-flanges or jammed, so to speak, that labor costs in such reconstruction work will be materially increased.

My invention, hence, has for its primary ,ob-

jects the provision of a rail anchor which is simple and economical in structure, which may be quickly and easily installed and may, with equal facility, be reclaimed and re-installed even though previously used, which is uniquely constructed to grip the rail-flange securely and positively without biting into or otherwise defacing the surface of the metal and, while gripping the rail-flange securely, to permit a limited freedom of movement between the rail and tie-plate for absorbing minor vibrations and shocks, and which is highly efficient in the performance of its stated functions.

And with the above and other objects in View. my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a rail anchor constructed in accordance with and embodying my present invention in operative railway railsecuring engagement with a tie;

Figure 2 is an enlarged semi-inverted perspective view of the rail anchor, showing in more detail the under face thereof;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional'view of the characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my present invention, A designates a conventional wooden railway tie, and B designates a. conventional railway rail integ-rally including a so-called ball I, web 2, and base flange 3, the latter having longitudinally extending vertically disposed opposite side faces 4 and opposed oblique upper faces 5.

' Provided for flatwise disposition upon the upper-face a of the tie A, is a tie-plate C, which forms a part of my present rail anchor, and

which preferably integrally includes a fiat 010-.

long rectangular plate-section 0 having opposed recesses, as at B, inits opposite ends and adjacent-a side margin thereof, an upstanding rilb 1 extending longitudinally adjacent an opposite side margin, and opposed sets of suitable openings 8 transversely spaced for accommodating a rail B therebetween and the openings of each set being also suitably spaced longitudinally of the plate C, all as best seen in Figure 4 and for purposes presently fully appearing.

Provided for co-operation with the plate C in securing the rail B upon the tie A, is a companion anchor :D, which includes a body-section 9 having :a preferably arcuate longitudinally ex tending side face ll]. Along its opposite longitudinal side, the body-section 9 is cut-away and thereby formed or provided with a flange or ledge, as at H, for overhangingly fitting upon a face 5 of the rail B and a set-back shoulderportion, as at l2, [2, for abutting, the adjacent side face 4 of the rail B.

Approximately centrally of the set-back or shoulder-providing portion l2, l2, the anchor D is cut-away and thereby provided with a recess, as at d, having somewhat V-shaped rear or vertically disposed walls l4 concaved with respect to the outer side face of the flange H and having, in turn, a centrally disposed shallow recess l5 for receiving a relatively heavy initially flat leafpring IS. The upper or top horizontal wall I! of the recess d is undercut in the provision of an inwardly or rearwardly presented shoulder l8 longitudinally convexed with respect to said face i l and opposed to said wall 14.

Extending through the body-section 9 of the plate 'D, are suitable spike-accommodating openings 28 for registration with a set of the openings 8 of the plate and so positioned in relation to the shoulders l2 and recess d as to open into or communicate with approximately L-shaped pockets l3 at the opposite ends of the c'oncaved recess-forming wall M, the body-section 9 further having a small opening, as at 2|, communicating with the recess wall I! and being also preferably, though not necessarily, provided with downwardly presented lugs 22 for snug-fitting engagement in the end recesses 6 of the plate C, all as best seen in Figures 2 and 3 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

Disposed in the recess 11, is a somewhat triangular cam-block E constructed preferably of hardened steel and having oblique opposite side faces 24, a connecting rounded-off or arcuate apex 25 engaging the spring [6, and an. outwardly presented arcuate gripping face 26. It should be noted that the side faces 24 are disposed at an angle with respect to each other, which is substantially smaller than the angle between the side faces of the V-shaped recess d. It should also be noted that the cam block E is preferably symmetrical with respect to a line extending from the center of the bearing face or apex 25 to the center of the gripping face 26, the dimension of the block E along such center-line being substantially smaller than the distance from the center of the apex 25 to the outer corners, that is to say, the intersection of the side faces 24 and the arcuate gripping face 25, this latter distance further being substantially greater than the transverse depth of the recess (1, that is to say, the perpendicular distance from the innermost point of the recess 12 to the plane of the shoulder faces l2, l2. In assembling for shipping and handling, the block E is pressed into the recess (2 intermediate the inner springequipped rear wall M and the arcuate shoulder N3, the spring l6 being suitably flexed and the block E and the spring I 6 being thus temporarily held yieldingly in place.

In use and operation, the tie-plate C i placed upon a tie A and a rail B set down thereon with its one side flange face 4 snugly engaging the rib I. Spikes s are then conventionally driven through the corresponding set of openings 8.

the point "of rail contact along the gripping face 26 and the center of the bearing face .or apex 25 increases, the spring l6 being thereby flexed backwardly. The cam-block E thus becomes wedged against the wall l5 of the recess d and, without biting into the rail-flange 3, securely binds the rail B against any further creeping movement. It should be noted in this connection that the spring I6 only serves to yielding-1y retain the cam-block E in operative position, the wedging or binding action of the block E being substantially independent of the spring [6 and resulting primarily from friction forces set up between the cam-block E and the side faces M of the recess d.

It will be evident that, in cases where the creep-producing stresses are intermittent and not continuous, the anchor D will permit the rail B to return to initialposition. Further, since the rail B is in no way defaced or scarred, the anchor block E, upon application'of' succeeding creepproducing forces,will again take rail binding engagement in the same manner and at the same place on the rail-flange 3.

If desired, the anchor may be removed from one location and installed at a different location simply by pulling the spikes s in the conventional manner and then lifting the anchor D and tieplate C from the tie A. The cam-block E and anchor may be made and substituted for those The anchor D is then placed upon the plate rail-gripping position. A small pin or other like tool, not shown, is now inserted through the opening 2i and tapped with a hammer to dislodge the cam-block E from engagement with the shoulder I8, when the spring l6 yieldingly shifts the cam-block E laterally towards, and subsequently resiliently maintains the block E in wedging engagement with, the adjacent side face 4 of the railrflange 3, all as best seen in Figures 5 and 6.

It will be evident that, under normal conditions, the rail B, so gripped by the cam-block E, has limited freedom and is permitted slight shifting movement under sudden impacts. Upon any appreciable creeping movement, however, the cam-block E rocks in the direction of creeping movement, and the distance between herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim andldesire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A railway rail anchor comprising, in combination, a tie-plate having a longitudinal rib of engagement with a side face of one portion of the rail flange, an anchor plate removably engageable with said tie plate adjacent the opposite portion of the rail-flange, means on the anchor plate for grippingly engaging said rail-flange portion along its upper face, spring-pressed means operatively mounted in the anchor plate for engagement with said rail-flange portion along its side face, and means for securing the anchor plate to the tie.

2. A railway railanchor comprising, in combination, a tie-plate having a longitudinal rib for engagement with a side face of one portion of the rail flange, an anchor plate removably engageable with said tie-plate adjacent the opposite portion of the rail-flange, means on the anchor plate for grippingly engaging said rail-flange portion along its upper face, a spring-pressed camming member mounted for. both rocking and bodily shifting movement on the anchor plate for wedging engagement with said rail-flange portion along its side face, and means for securing the tieplate and anchor plate to the tie.

3. A railway rail anchor comprising, in combination, a tie-plate having a longitudinal rib for engagement with a side face of one portion of the rail-flange, an anchor plate engageable with the tie-plate adjacent the opposite portion of the rail-flange and having a flange for overhanging engagement with said rail-flange portion along its upper face, said anchor plate being provided upon its under face with a recess opening both upon the under face and inwardly presented side face of the anchor plate and having a concaved rear wall, an angular camming member yieldingly disposed for rocking movement in said recess and having an outwardly presented arcuate face for engagement with said rail-flange portion along its side face, and means for securing the anchor plate to the tie.

4. A railway rail anchor comprising, in combination, means engageable with a tie for securing a side portion of the rail-flange thereto, an anchor plate having a flange for overhanging engagement with the opposite portion of the rail-flange. the anchor plate being provided upon its under face with a recess having a concave rear wall, a substantially triangular camming member yieldingly disposed for rocking movement in said recess and having an outwardly presented arcuate face for engagement with said rail flange portion along its side face, and means for securing said anchor plate to the tie.

5. A railway rail anchor comprising an anchor plate for securement to a tie adjacent a side portion of the rail-flange and having a flange for overhanging engagement with said rail-flange portion, said anchor plate being provided upon its under face with a recess opening both upon the under face and inwardly presented side face of the anchor plate and having a concave rear wall, a triangular camming member disposed for rocking movement in said recess and having an outwardly presented arcuate face for engagement with said rail-flange portion along its side face, and a spring interposed in said recess between said wall and the camming member for yieldingly urging the camming member into rail engagement.

6. A railway rail anchor comprising a bodymember having a downwardly and sidewardly opening V-shaped recess, and means shiftably and rockably mounted in the recess for engagement with the rail-flange.

7. A railway rail anchor comprising, in combination, a tie-plate having a longitudinal rib for engagement with a side face of the rail-flange, an anchor plate removably engageable with the tie plate adjacent the opposite side face of the rail-flange and having means for grippingly enga g the rail-flange, said anchor plate being provided upon its under face with a recess having obliquely disposed vertical side walls, a camping member rockingly disposed in said recess for both rocking and bodily shiftable movement and having side walls obliquely disposed to each other at a smaller angle than the angle between the recess side walls, said camming member being further provided with an outwardly presented arcuate surface engagement with a side face of the rail-flange, and means for securing the anchor plate to the tie. V

8. A railway rail anchor comprising, in combination, a tie-plate having a longitudinal rib for engagement with a side face of the rail-flange, a member engageable with the plate adjacent the opposite side face of the rail-flange and having means for grippingly en aging the rail-flange, said member being provided upon its under face with a recess having obliquely disposed vertical side walls, a camming member rockingly disposed in said recess and having side walls obliquely disposed to each other at a smaller angle than the angle between th recess side walls, said camming member being further provided with an outwardly presented smooth arcuate surface for non-biting wedged engagement with a side face of the rail-flange, spring means operatively mounted in the recess for normally urging the camming member outwardly into engagement with the rail-flange, and means for securing the first member to the tie.

9. A railway rail anchor for cooperation with a recessed tie-plate, said anchor including a body member having downwardly depending legs for engagement in the tie-plate recesses and a laterally presented face for engagement with the side face of the rail flange, a lip projecting outwardly beyond the laterally presented face for overhanging engagement with the upper face of the rail flange, said body member being cut-away centrally of the laterally presented face in the provision of a downwardly opening socket having two obliquely disposed back walls and a top wall, said oblique back walls being inwardly offset in the provision of a shallow spring-receiving recess, a flat leaf-spring disposed within said spring-receiving recess, and a triangularly shaped cam block disposed for free rocking and bodily shiftable movement within the socket, said block having oppositely presented arcuate surfaces for engagement with the spring and side face of the rail flange.

10. A railway rail anchor for co-operation with a recessed tie-plate, said anchor including a body member having downwardly depending legs for engagement in the tie-plate recesses and "a laterally presented face for engagement with the side face of the rail flange, a lip projecting outwardly beyond the laterally presented face for overhanging engagement with the upper face of the rail flange, said body member being cut-away centrally of the laterally presented face in the provision of a downwardly opening socket having two obliquely disposed back walls and a top wall, said oblique back walls being inwardly offset in the provision of a shallow spring-receiving recess, a flat leaf-spring disposed within said spring-receiving recess, and a triangularly shaped cam block disposed for free rocking and bodily shiftable movement within the socket, said block having oppositely presented arcuate surfaces for engagement with the spring and side face of the rail flange, said socket top wall being provided at its outer end with a downwardly projecting lip adapted for retentive engagement with the outwardly presented arcuate face of the cam block when the latter is pressed inwardly of the socket for holding the cam block in such inwardly withdrawn position.

11. A railway rail anchor comprising a bodymember having a downwardly and sidewardly opening recess, said recess being provided in its top wall with an inwardly facing shoulder, and cam means rockably mounted in the recess and resiliently urged outwardly for normally engaging the rail flange and being adapted for engagement in retracted position with the shoulder for shipment and storage.

SAMUEL C. BAUGHN. 

